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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · perch · jam · tube · lean · mouse · stem · mate

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. lean — thin
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mate — a partner
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mate — a friend
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com